For entrepreneur Adam Bass, keeping kosher is a serious business. A brand-management expert by trade, the father-of-three turned to religion later in life to improve his work-life balance and better connect with his young family. He started to browse the kosher food aisles of supermarkets – but was disheartened by the quality of the offerings.
“It was mostly just grey and disappointing,” says Adam, 58, who took an even closer interest after working on a project with Tesco in 2016.
“It’s not easy keeping kosher and at the time the quality of the kosher food brands in UK supermarkets was not that exciting or enticing. I would walk past the kosher food shelves, seeing rows of cold meats, jars of preserved fish and chicken stock; it was boring.”
He was especially frustrated given the burgeoning celebration of contemporary Israeli cuisine.
“The kosher section of supermarkets did not have the fun of the Ottolenghi-style cooking that was making waves and I wanted to make those flavours accessible to the kosher and mainstream consumer.”
And so, he set up Providence Deli – an affordable kosher brand committed to authentic Mediterranean ingredients and Israeli cuisine, delivering flavours akin to the Sephardi style of cooking favoured by his French-born wife, Valérie.
Sourcing produce from Israel, Providence Deli offers around 20 ambient and chilled products, from hummus and harissa to schug and sun-dried tomatoes.
“Our aim is to source and make great products with vibrant and bold flavours that just happen to be kosher, bringing some much-needed innovation to the market.”
With chilled products retailing at around £2.50 – £2.99, there has been good uptake: Providence Deli is now available at Sainsbury and Tesco supermarkets, kosher shops and independent retailers across the UK.
Adam has no hesitation in having a label that states clearly that that the products are made in Israel.
Agriculture harvest in Israel
However, like most brands connected to the Jewish State, Providence Deli has faced challenges – especially since the October 7 terror attack and subsequent wave of antisemitism and anti-Israel campaigns that followed.
Over one period, Providence Deli products were defaced by anti-Israel ‘boycott’ stickers, leading one independent retailer to remove the goods from its shelves.
It is no secret that some businesses choose to omit their Israel-connection to avoid such trouble; so why doesn’t Adam?
“We initially kept a relatively low profile about our Israel connection, but after October 7, I don’t care,” he says. “There is no way I am taking ‘Made in Israel’ off the label. If we get some ‘boycott’ stickers on our products, so be it.”
He adds: “If someone does not want to eat the product because it’s made in Israel, they can go and eat something else. I’m proud that we source our products from a country that is standing up to aggressors on all sides, against impossible odds.”
In recent years, Providence Deli has focussed on chilled hummus as an example of authentic Israeli produce, and they now supply 26 tonnes of hummus every year. There is, Adam thinks, a positive message in this product.
“A love of hummus is common across the Middle East. It is a great example of how food can overcome barriers and borders.”
Noting that the UK is a major consumer of hummus, accounting for 40 percent of Europe’s market for the popular dip, he says: “Coming from Israel, what we offer is authentic. We use a higher percentage of tahini than other brands, which makes our hummus so much more delicious and creamy.”
Beyond that, Adam is incredibly proud of Israel’s ability to harvest and produce fresh fruit and vegetables, despite the ongoing attacks and challenges over the past year.
Fresh produce packaged up in Israel
The October 7 terror attack led to aftershocks across the country, including the agriculture sector. In the face of ongoing rocket bombardment, fields were set alight, and the country faced a shortage in supply, especially of tomatoes, red peppers and cabbage.
At the same time, foreign workers had fled, while Israeli nationals were displaced or called up for reservist duty.
For a time, fresh fruit and vegetables were sourced from countries like Turkey and Jordan – before new methods and technology led to renewed development of agriculture across Israel over the past year. And so, production has not ceased.
“That’s why I won’t take ‘Made in Israel’ off the label,” says Adam. “It doesn’t just tell you about where the ingredients are from, it is about the stories behind them. What other country goes through something like that and manages to sustain its production of fresh fruit and vegetables?”
He adds: “It is a privilege to make Israeli food available to people who want to support us.”
Adam, who also runs Golden Goose – a brand licensing agency with clients that range from Del Monte to The Rocky Horror Show – now has plans to expand Providence Deli with new flavours.
The former Haberdashers’ Boys’ pupil, who attends Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue and Chabad HGS, also hopes to push the brand into more retailers – making kosher food and Israeli produce available on a larger scale.
“We know there is a growing appetite among British consumers for the flavours we offer,” says Adam, who distributes 45 percent of Providence Deli produce through Tesco supermarkets across the UK. “Our goal is to bring these recipes to the mainstream market, without hiding where they come from.
“This is about more than business; it is about the acknowledgement and celebration of Israeli resilience. We believe in spreading peace, love and great hummus.”
